1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dent pullers for automobile body repair, and more particularly to a dent puller of the type having a plate which is adhesively bonded to a depressed area in an automobile surface and a bridge structure toward which the plate is pulled to remove the dent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of dent pullers have been used in automobile body repair for removing dents from body panels. Some of these devices require that holes be drilled in the body panel in order to attach the dent puller to the damaged area of the panel. These holes must later be filled and the panel repainted. Other devices are designed to remove small dents without causing further damage to the body panel. Use of these latter devices generally does not require repainting of the panel, and is thus referred to as xe2x80x9cpaintlessxe2x80x9d dent repair.
One common type of prior art dent puller for paintless dent repair is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The puller A comprises a straight bridge B having a leg C attached near each end. Each leg C terminates with a foot D. The legs C are generally perpendicular to the bridge B. Midway along the length of the bridge B is an aperture E through which a threaded shaft F is received. A lower end of the shaft F is connected to an engagement member G having a flat plastic plate H, which is, in turn, adhered to the body panel near the center of the dent using a specialized hot melt adhesive J. A knob or wing nut K is threadably received on the upper end of the shaft F.
By tightening down on the knob or wing nut K, an operator can cause the engagement member G to be pulled toward the bridge B. As the engagement member G moves, the adhesive bond between the plate H and the body panel causes the dented portion of the panel to be pulled toward its correct alignment. When the force exerted by the knob K acting against the bridge B becomes greater than the strength of the adhesive J, the plate H will pull away from the body panel. The process is repeated until the dent is removed.
At least two problems are common with the prior art device. First, as the dent is removed, the device A tends to cause new dents in the body panel at the points where the feet D contact the panel. Second, when the plate H pulls away from the body panel, the adhesive J tends to remain adhered to the body panel. The adhesive J must then be removed from the panel using a solvent, creating extra work for the operator and providing an additional opportunity to damage the painted surface of the panel.
What is needed is a dent puller for paintless body repair which will not cause new dents in the panel and which will not leave adhesive adhered to the panel when the plate pulls away from the panel.
The dent puller of the present invention includes a bridge having a center section and a pair of legs extending outwardly and downwardly from the ends of the center section at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees. Each leg has a lower end with a foot extending outwardly therefrom such that the feet are generally parallel to the center section. Each foot has a resilient pad secured thereto.
An aperture formed through the center section of the bridge receives a threaded shaft having upper and lower ends. An engagement member connected to the lower end of the shaft includes a plate having an upper face, a lower face and at least one opening extending through the plate from the lower face to the upper face. A knob is threadably received on the upper end of the shaft such that application of a rotational force to the knob acts to draw the engagement member toward the bridge. The knob may include a hub and a plurality of lugs which extend radially outward therefrom.
The dent puller may further include a power tool adapter comprising a socket engageable with the knob and an arbor extending axially outward from the socket. The socket may include a plurality of radial notches which are sized and spaced to engage the lugs on the knob. At least a portion of the arbor is preferably hollow to provide clearance for the upper end of the shaft, which may extend outwardly past the upper margin of the knob.
It is believed that the angle of declination of the legs, acting in combination with the resilient pads on the feet, distributes the force exerted by the knob in such a way as to lessen the tendency of the puller to cause new dents in the body panel adjacent to the feet. Furthermore, it is believed that the openings in the plate act to increase the bond between the adhesive and the plate such that the adhesive will remain on the plate when the plate pulls away from the panel.